PARIS – In a whirlwind first day after winning the French presidency, Socialist Francois Hollande already has a to-do list that includes an invite to the White House, visits to the G-8 and NATO summits and a World War II ceremony with his defeated rival.The leftist who has pledged to buck Europe's austerity trend and NATO's timetable for Afghanistan appeared before thronging crowds on Paris' Place de la Bastille in the early morning hours Monday, pledging "to finish with austerity." Hours later, he was back at work, arriving at his campaign headquarters around 10:30 a.m. local time.Hollande will officially become president on May 15, the date for the handover ceremony that the two campaign teams agreed to on Monday.

Texas A&M alum Lt. Col. Roy Tisdale was killed on June 28 during a training exercise at Fort Bragg, N.C. Tisdale was killed by another soldier who then fatally shot himself.

Tisdale had served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the days after the soldier's death, word spread that Westboro Baptist Church members were planning to protest Tisdale's funeral.

Described as a "homophobic and anti-Semitic hate group" by the Anti-Defamation League, Westboro Baptist Church regularly stages protests around the country.

According to KBTX.com, the group, which is based in Kansas, frequently targets military funerals because of "a belief that God punishes soldiers because of America's tolerance of gays."

When Ryan Slezia, a former Texas A&M student, heard of the group's plans, he hatched a plot to foil their efforts.

"In response to their signs of hate, we will wear maroon. In response to their mob anger, we will form a line, arm in arm. This is a silent vigil. A manifestation of our solidarity," he wrote on Facebook, inviting others to join him in a peaceful protest.

A powerful magnitude-8.2 earthquake has struck off Chile's northern coast, killing at least five people and seriously injuring three. The quake also triggered landslides and set off a two-metre-high tsunami. [...] New Zealand Civil Defence said there was no tsunami threat here but there will be stronger than usual currents on the east coast of the country from about 2.30am tomorrow, which will continue throughout the day.

The word from NZ:There was a similar event a year? or so ago…. Civil defence warnings had people heading TOWARDS beaches in Auckland to rubber-neck. Nothing happened.Auckland central is built on low lying, reclaimed land on harbour edge.. even a small wave could be devastating… but it has never happened in my time. Main motorways run along waters edge and are vulnerable. The one main route from West Auckland (where I am) to city, in part is built on a causeway… actually across a shallow part of the harbour.. water on both sides… that would be toast if a Tsunami hit..

_________________Do not go gentle into that good night.___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Three large earthquake strike off Kermadec IslandsPublished: 8:11AM Tuesday June 24, 2014 Source: ONE News

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit at 7am this morning, followed by a 6.3 two minutes later and a 6.2 just after 8am, 96km off the coast of the Kermadec Islands, the most northern group of islands in New Zealand territory.

The quakes struck around 90km off the coast of Raoul Island, or just under 1000km from Whangarei, the US Geological Survey reports.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre says there is currently no risk of a tsunami from the earthquakes.

Raoul Island is the northernmost inhabited outpost of New Zealand and is permanently manned.

The island is no stranger to large quakes, a magnitude 7.6 hit in July 2011 and generated a small tsunami. A 7.4 hit later that same year in October.

News has obtained CCTV footage of a man arriving at a petrol station in the Bay of Plenty with a metal rod lodged in his head.

Police say the 23-year-old was assaulted in Katikati at around midnight.

"I was like, 'Man is this a TV show? Is this guy for real?'" says Katikati Caltex owner Lester Gray. "It looked like a Halloween stunt where people wear those Halloween costumes over their heads, but it was pretty real when he turned around and blood was coming down the side of his head."

That's when what seemed to be a prank became real for customers and staff at a Caltex service station in Katikati.

"He just walked in with the rod in his head and I was just like, 'Is that a drum stick in your head?'" says witness Dylan Shea. "And he was like, 'Nah, it's a rod.'"

The 23-year-old man was allegedly attacked while he was parked up in his car on a suburban street. Police say he was punched in the head and hit with the steel rod.

"The sharp part of the tyre iron was in his temple," says Mr Shea. "He's real lucky, lucky that it didn't go any deeper."

Incredibly the victim was able to drive himself to a petrol station about four blocks away.